Good karma moved quietly,
Revolving back with purpose,
Finding the hands that gave
Without witness,
Lifting the hearts that remained
True in the shadows-
Returning softly
She who perceived what dusky tones to lyric
visions and visitations drifting sea beats
her obsidian deep in bowels of rock
mermen watching neat
River spirit maidens ask freedom's turquoise
within midnight's black grimace God gleams white light
against rainfall sky her fair deploy was
Love's only employ
Sappho's obsidian dust incubating
on Earth ~ Aphrodite's coal its sound inert
no beetles can roam its aura's fast converts
implacable hurts —
Muse awaited no crown pharoah’s lips fleshy
in cosmic time concept will bell excell
grecian pudding spiced hot on cypress table
obsidian spell
Soft dew drops upon unbound black hair curling
sprinkling coloured leaves of body's flesh tree
jet night pale blossoms wrapping barefeet pitch
woman cracked stone itch …
Amidst obsidian leaking indigo
Sappho's loamy dream creating blackout moon
sleepy swoons across mossy floor encircle
legs entwine quirkle —
Hierophants composed illusion stories
she did not believe, dark related truth’s scout
as sure as fire heats every sunset closing
Sappho’s stone reigns clout ~
Fire-bright moments press against my heartbeat,
pulling breath taut as wire in a storm wind;
even stillness trembles under their pressure~
pure, unbroken force.
Moon-stead voices gather in measured longing,
Shaping thought to linger in lyric stillness;
Fourteen lines become a lantern for meaning~
Light over silence.
poem written for online poetry class assignment=write a single stanza sapphic
Hail, fair Aphrodite, foam-born, star of the sea-ways,
Mist-veiled sovereign, mover of mortal bosoms,
Bearer of sighs and bloom of the secret garden—
Hear now my praising.
Thou who mak’st kings bow low and shepherds mighty,
Thou whose glance sets the coldest spirit burning,
Soft is thy yoke, yet none may flee thy binding—
Sweet is thy governance.
Dost thou recall our hours in hush and amber,
When breath met breath and time itself stood hearkening?
Say, if thou wilt, in dream or sign or whisper—
I yet remember.
Take thou this vow, by rose and hidden ember:
No tongue shall loose the tale we twain have carried;
Close kept, sealed fast, our chronicle unspoken—
Veiled be our history.
Winter on her window's pane, separating
the sinews from frost; both really burn so cold;
she darkens with fingertips discovering
Winter's stillbirth like glass
Winter in February's wind that mirrors
the window that's shaking without breaking her,
a broken icicle first dripped first, after
Winter's stillbirth like glass
Winter air left an angel's breath in her womb
where the snow had fallen, now white stitchery
on scared, scarred earths — nothing stays baby or dead;
Winter's stillbirth like glass
Winter slides like tears down her own window's cheeks,
she touches her even in the white-hot sun —
her insides now step in grass flowering, none
Winter's stillbirth like glass
Days of poet motivate calm compassion.
Sheer injustice evident—every turnpike
manned by soldiers’ wild unfamiliar passion
planned around harsh Strike.
Summonsed lamb to slaughter, but still respecting
burning bush—obedience lit by daydream,
Ares now advance with his pride, suspecting
alter in regime.
Bending truth to suit the occasion’s essence,
whispers coil in shadows of veiled renitence.
Glow of waters lap at the swirling valence.
Ebbing of sentience.
Psappho wept—her dream has dispersed as token.
Rose-fingered moon’s face will exceed all starlight.*
Silence now descends tableau muffled, Brocken
Spectre of moonlight.
{Poet’s Note : Fourth Poem of Set of 5 SPOKEN WORD poems written in SAPPHIC STANZAS }
____________________
Life offers to support, first open to Love’s thorns
Sun not changeable, hands to give of own horns
centre in flesh where patience and Spirit mingle
Heart is where they jingle
World our mirror, transparency it holds bold
magical meanings with musical moments emit
highest are those whose existence is not known
hoist ideals beauty sown
We will say, Sisters! we ourselves have achieved
opalescent Sacred Sun wants figures of eight
firmly in lap of luxury, the bait
to lament no more
Brothers no longer hold score, treasure inside
entire planet home, Lesbos to Egypt, no hide
see crystal clear with fine papyrus and ink
so very dear, cheer
Universal power arranges spacious
awareness without thoughts jumbled enchanting
awe at abundant good fortune Heart opened receptive we sing
At wedding feasts nothing further needs adding
Femmes ! to moment sway not nay, syrtos in hay
stepping back to allow for Spirit’s addition
groom in white and black
Union is You _________>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
{Poet’s Note : Third Poem of Set of 5 SPOKEN WORD poems written in SAPPHIC STANZAS }
____________________
Power of moment equals power itself
intuition is direct perception true
free from any reasoning constrictions
truth redemption raw
Intelligence with insight fresh dwells in Heart
recognition of holy inheritance
calls going out never return unanswered
ONE listens raptly
Sisters ! we are pure existence, finely cased
resist not this, lest offspring rings no lacy face
cast no emotion asunder, scatter on waves
judge not Dark Nights of Soul
Identify viable passions, what’s best
explore possibilities, differentiate hest
trust your ideas and commitments, no fear
away from crowds, hear
Will of Supreme desires meshment of leaves
birthed not to resist parts of One, reject no eaves
return to states of harmony now urgent
acceptance of all
Equalise resistibility to trying seasons
timid is need to fathom everything new
lose not ourselves in futures still to arrive
motions of waves ebb
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
{Poet’s Note : Second Poem of Set of 5 SPOKEN WORD poems written in SAPPHIC STANZA }
____________________
Trust is substance of things hoped for truthful
kaleidoscopic is mythopoeics of Spirit
collective consciousness seeks sensibility
single songs rooted
Ecstacy rests on belief and compassion
inductive reasoning no toil to rich soil
task completion depends on harmony
fulfilment follows
Use alignment of dimensions acutely
Sisters ! impresss subjective on cosmic mind
ether surely holds what is ached for not sold
bold with Absolute
In relationship serve finely each other
allow answers to birth deeper questions
making muddy unconscious conscious to Light
Love is stardust kites
Wise are wise only because they love tender
foolish are foolish because slender is Heart shut
shadows burn when ascension is not earned
fall not into rut
Timeless presence is what we look for, Femmes !
we are thingness of life, seeking I-ness of life
form comes then disappears like pears on trees
let NO-thing come with ease
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The night is dark and unforgiving.
I tried to forgive you.
I was even thinking of giving you another chance like you asked for.
There is nothing left for you to say to me and there is nothing left for me to say to you.
The night is dark when your sad/alone and have no one to be there for you.
The night is my get away.
My get away from you and all the memories we have together.
The memories you have already let go of.
You never loved me anyways.
I try to let go of what we had because it want real anyways.
I tried to see the good in you but I don't think there is any left in you.
I tried to give you my heart and you crushed it like a kid would with a lolly pop.
The night sky makes me sad but it also makes me happy.
The stars are shining in a way I could never.
The stars are the beauty in the dark.
The stars are my new found hope.
The dark of the night sky can be lonely if you cant see the beauty but sometimes it never changes the way you hope it will.
The dark of the night sky is what keeps me going.
The dark of the night sky is my calming place.
I owe you an apology I thought I hated you for leaving me behind.
but the truth is I hate myself for falling for you.
I didn't realize that I what I was doing was considered harassment.
I'm sorry that I got a little to attached to you.
I'm am truly sorry I never ment for things to go as far as they did.
now I see you in my dreams you ask me what kind of dreams.
I tell you some are the same and others are normal.
the truth is the dreams with you in them is something we never had true love.
I've seen what could of been and tried to warp that into reality
but it was just a dream that wont come true and I see that now
I'm sorry if you ever felt peer pressured into anything
we agreed to go our different way just know I wish you the best of luck
is crazy to think we got this far
you could of reported me for harassment but you didn't
you say you call me dork as a sing that you care
if you care then why cant we just be friends?
I'm trying to see it though your eyes and perspective but i cant
I'm letting go without letting go
so good bye till we meet again Ed
(Sappho and Leuceus drunk,fighting over who invented the Stanza)
Lesbos howls with song and mgosi tonight,
Leuceus thumbs the table-claims my Stanza his,
I toss my hair,sip the sqo,my daughter lightning-
Let Ogun decide!
He stutters of meters,I of love divine,
He waves his laptop,I smash my Zamalek beer glass to silence
The gods choke at their peptic ulcers-
Mami Wata takes sides.
Tomorrow the'll call me fallen,sinner,muse of rain,
But in their shame,they'll still steal my rhythm,
He'll drown in envy's cup,Ill wake to babalazi
Makoti sing my song
Explanation of words
mgosi-gossip
sqo-as in traditional beer
Zamalek: Black Label Carling beer
Ogun: The god of war
mami wata:mother of water is a symbol of beauty and that's all men want to hear
babalazi-a massive hangover
makoti- ''Maak ons tee'' in Afrikaans meaning ''Make us tea''.This is what will happen to school dropouts;just think about the fate of this one: a young married woman supervised by a grumpy old woman who complaints about anything under the son.
The gado* crashes past sweethearts'murals,hearts already broken,
Vapor groans like weary wraiths of last day' pledges,
Skins glow with Vaseline,faces lit by deceptive affection-
Who dares to feel?
Her fragrance wafts blending with metal breath,
We exchange looks,the calm betwixt us murmurs like power lines,
Outdoors,level plots fade in a murkiness of dirt and nostalgia-
I almost speak
But at Langlaagte* too soon she's gone with the throng,
Only the echo of her kindness marks my seat,
I scroll through unfamiliar smiles,phony love returns-
Between stations,hurt.
Gado--South African slang for train
Langlaagte--A train station in Johannesburg
The Uba flies,Sani Pass flickers under streetlights,
My chest aches with thought,lungs burn with reminiscence,
Sacrificing pride twists my mind with doubt,she lingers unseen-
I remain still
Mist owns Vrede,a sunless Free State night in autumn,
My pulse revolts,doubt gnaws the edges of determination-
I grip the door handle,heart rebelling,breath caught-
I order the driver back
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